Marriage Equality Bill Passes in New York

By a vote of 33-29 (with all Democrats and 4 Republicans voting in favor), the New York state senate passed a marriage equality bill last night, making that state the sixth and most populous state to pass such a law. The four principled Republican votes came as the Conservative Party in New York had threatened to run primary opponents against any Republican who voted for the bill. Here's what Greg Sargent has to say about those "conservatives":

"This is another major defeat for those self-described 'conservatives' who hate government except when it's enforcing a form of legalized discrimination that comports with their prejudices."

And who are, once again, on the wrong side of history.

Quotes of the Day

"It's a shame they don't extend the same efforts to issues that really matter, like health care and homelessness." -- D.C. Councilmember David Catania commenting on the issuance of a "declaration" Friday by conservative Christian leaders (aka, the American Taliban), urging Christians not to comply with rules and laws relating to same-sex marriage and abortion. Among the signees was Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, whose diocese issued an ultimatum to the DC government about not passing a gay marriage law, lest the Church cease providing social services with DC tax dollars. So glad I'm not a practicing Catholic any more.

"How could they [WaPo editors] devote a whopping and precious 258 column inches of space to coverage of and commentary on former Alaska governor Sarah Palin - God's gift to the 'I'm- stupid- and- proud- of- it' crowd?" -- letter to the editor in today's WaPo from a reader in Gainesville, Va. So glad I'm not subscribing to the WaPo any more.

Rudy Toot Toot's Not Friends With "Fruits"

Rudy "Toot Toot" Giuliani ducked the wedding of his gay "friends" and former roommates, Howard Koeppel and Mark Hsaio yesterday in Connecticut. The former New York mayor had stayed with the gay couple in their Manhattan apartment while going through a messy divorce from his wife, Donna Hanover, back in 2001. So much for loyalty.

Rudy Toot Toot did his utmost to portray himself as a hero to the American public, despite denying firefighters the necessary communications equipment which would have saved lives on September 11, and who earlier had the city's emergency operations headquarters relocated to near ground zero so that he could be closer to his mistress. Images of him walking aimlessly around lower Manhattan trying to communicate with authorities after the Twin Towers collapsed merely reflected the result of that selfish decision. So much for courage.